Hebrew Catholics

Hebrew Catholics (in Hebrew: קתולים עברייםQatholim Ivriym) are Christians of Jewish derivation who are members of the Catholic Church and keep their Jewish traditions in light of the Gospel and the Church's Magisterium. Some reside in Israel but the greatest number are to be found in the United States.

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Hebrew Catholics subscribe to the doctrines of the Catholic faith and are in full communion with the Vatican. One point of differentiation lies not in dogmatic beliefs but in liturgical practices. For example, their liturgical calendar differs from Latin Catholics in their use of Jewish holidays. Hebrew Catholics celebrate Passover, Rosh Hashana, Shavuot, etc. Some Hebrew Catholics wear traditional ritual wear like Kippahs, Tallits, Tefillin, use Mezuzahs and keep many commandments in the Torah as a sign of their heritage.

The movement is not a sectarian nor a schismatic group inside the Catholic Church. Their identification as both Hebrew and Catholic derives from their spiritual background as belonging to the Hebrew people and to the Catholic faith as stated by the founder of the Association of Hebrew Catholics, Fr. Elias Friedman, O.C.D.

Hebrew Catholics is a worldwide ecumenical movement and voluntary movement of Catholics of both Jewish and non-Jewish origins. The main associations of the movement are the Association of Hebrew Catholics (AHC), Remnant Of Israel (ROI), and Miriam Bat Tzion. The AHC and the ROI are English-speaking organizations, and Miriam Bat Tzion is French-speaking. There is also another group of Spanish-speaking Hebrew Catholics in Maracay, Venezuela, who also having a Davidic dance ministry with a comprehensive website on the internet. [see http://www.mixristos.es.tl/]

Hebrew Catholics should not be confused with Messianic Jews, who are independent Hebrew Christian denominations, many of them SabbatarianProtestants, some of whom follow Calvninist doctrine but celebrate Jewish holy days and emphasize Jewish elements of Christianity. Hebrew Catholics are in full communion with the Vatican and are not an independent movement.

According to Bloomer (2008) "There is a broad range of Hebrew Catholics. From those who observe nothing much of the Jewish ways up to those who observe the same as Orthodox Jews. There are many different opinions but they all try to accept each other whatever their level of observance."

Furthermore, Fr. David Neuhaus (2008), a priest for the Hebrew-speaking Catholics in Jerusalem and a Jew born himself, declares as follows: "Dietary laws are not obligatory for those who live in Christ. I would only understand dietary laws being observed by Jewish Catholics if they had always practised these laws before becoming Catholic. It certainly does no harm. But adopting the laws as Catholic (or as secular Jews who have become Catholic) does not make much sense as we have the fullness of the promise in Jesus." Other Hebrew Catholics especially those who prefer the name Jewish Catholics or Catholic Jews observe the Kosher Food Laws and see much spiritual significance in such Torah observance.